LIQUIDITY	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2021
LIQUIDITY
LIQUIDITY	2. LIQUIDITY The Company last recorded revenues from operations in 2009. Since 2009, the Company has relied on equity financings, debt financings and asset sales to fund its operations. The Company expects to rely on debt and equity financings to fund its operations for the foreseeable future. In 2016, the Company began to expand its business plan into acquisition and development of energy-related materials. First, in 2016 the Company obtained lithium mineral leases in Nevada and Utah as an exploration opportunity. Then, in 2018 the Company acquired Alabama Graphite Corp. and its Coosa Graphite Project in Alabama for the purpose of developing a commercial sized graphite mineral deposit and processing the flake graphite into advanced graphite products for use in batteries. In the third quarter of 2020, the Company executed the strategic decision to focus its resources on the graphite business in Alabama, discontinuing its investment in its lithium mineral properties and selling its uranium business, located in Texas and New Mexico, to enCore. As discussed in Note 3, the sale to enCore closed on December 31, 2020, and included the elimination of a $9.3 million bonding liability, the elimination of $5.2 million in asset retirement obligations, and the elimination of more than $4.0 million in annual expenditures related to reclamation and compliance costs. The Company received approximately $1.8 million of enCore common stock and retained royalty interests on the New Mexico uranium properties as consideration for the sale. The Company also retained its uranium interests in Turkey, which are subject to ongoing international arbitration proceedings, in which the Company is seeking damages. During the first nine months of 2021, the Company focused on graphite process development activities including the operation of a pilot program for processing flake graphite into battery-grade graphite products and a Definitive Feasibility Study (“DFS”) on Phase I of the Coosa Graphite Project. The data generated and experience gained from the pilot program was used to inform the Phase I DFS that was completed in October 2021 and will also inform the requirements and specifications for building a commercial graphite processing facility. On September 30, 2021, the Company’s cash balance was approximately $119.0 million. During the nine months ended September 30, 2021, the Company sold 9.3 million shares of common stock for net proceeds of $47.3 million pursuant to its Controlled Equity Offering^SM Sales Agreement with Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. (“Cantor”) and 6.1 million shares of common stock for net proceeds of $34.6 million pursuant to the December 2020 Purchase Agreement with Lincoln Park Capital Fund, LLC (“Lincoln Park”) (see Note 7). As of September 30, 2021, the Company has $50.0 million available for future sales under the ATM Offering and has 9,700,252 of common stock available for future sales pursuant to the Lincoln Park December 2020 PA (as defined in Note 7). Subsequent to September 30, 2021, and through the date of this release, the Company has sold 637,200 common shares for net proceeds of $2.3 million pursuant to its financing facility with Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., and liquidated its holdings of enCore common stock for net cash proceeds of $3.6 million. Management believes the Company’s current cash balance is sufficient to fund its planned non-discretionary expenditures through 2022. The Company anticipates the continued use of the Cantor and Lincoln Park financing facilities to support construction of the commercial graphite processing facility. While the Company has been successful in the past in raising funds through equity and debt financings as well as through the sale of non-core assets, no assurance can be given that additional financing will be available in amounts sufficient to meet its needs, or on terms acceptable to the Company. Stock price volatility and uncertain economic conditions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent emergence of variant strains of the virus could significantly impact the Company’s ability to raise funds through equity financing. Market conditions, including but not limited to, inflation, labor shortages and supply chain disruptions could adversely impact the planned cost of the Company’s commercial graphite processing facility. Along with evaluating the continued use of the Cantor and Lincoln Park financing facilities, the Company may consider project financing to fund the construction of the commercial graphite processing facility. In the event funds are not available for project financing to complete construction of the commercial graphite processing facility in 2023, the Company expects to be able to fund its non-discretionary expenditures, however, the Company may be required to change its planned business development strategies.

LIQUIDITY

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2021

2. LIQUIDITY

The Company last recorded revenues from operations in 2009. Since 2009, the Company has relied on equity financings, debt financings and asset sales to fund its operations. The Company expects to rely on debt and equity financings to fund its operations for the foreseeable future.

In 2016, the Company began to expand its business plan into acquisition and development of energy-related materials. First, in 2016 the Company obtained lithium mineral leases in Nevada and Utah as an exploration opportunity. Then, in 2018 the Company acquired Alabama Graphite Corp. and its Coosa Graphite Project in Alabama for the purpose of developing a commercial sized graphite mineral deposit and processing the flake graphite into advanced graphite products for use in batteries. In the third quarter of 2020, the Company executed the strategic decision to focus its resources on the graphite business in Alabama, discontinuing its investment in its lithium mineral properties and selling its uranium business, located in Texas and New Mexico, to enCore. As discussed in Note 3, the sale to enCore closed on December 31, 2020, and included the elimination of a $9.3 million bonding liability, the elimination of $5.2 million in asset retirement obligations, and the elimination of more than $4.0 million in annual expenditures related to reclamation and compliance costs. The Company received approximately $1.8 million of enCore common stock and retained royalty interests on the New Mexico uranium properties as consideration for the sale. The Company also retained its uranium interests in Turkey, which are subject to ongoing international arbitration proceedings, in which the Company is seeking damages.

During the first nine months of 2021, the Company focused on graphite process development activities including the operation of a pilot program for processing flake graphite into battery-grade graphite products and a Definitive Feasibility Study (“DFS”) on Phase I of the Coosa Graphite Project. The data generated and experience gained from the pilot program was used to inform the Phase I DFS that was completed in October 2021 and will also inform the requirements and specifications for building a commercial graphite processing facility.

On September 30, 2021, the Company’s cash balance was approximately $119.0 million. During the nine months ended September 30, 2021, the Company sold 9.3 million shares of common stock for net proceeds of $47.3 million pursuant to its Controlled Equity Offering^SM Sales Agreement with Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. (“Cantor”) and 6.1 million shares of common stock for net proceeds of $34.6 million pursuant to the December 2020 Purchase Agreement with Lincoln Park Capital Fund, LLC (“Lincoln Park”) (see Note 7). As of September 30, 2021, the Company has $50.0 million available for future sales under the ATM Offering and has 9,700,252 of common stock available for future sales pursuant to the Lincoln Park December 2020 PA (as defined in Note 7).

Subsequent to September 30, 2021, and through the date of this release, the Company has sold 637,200 common shares for net proceeds of $2.3 million pursuant to its financing facility with Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., and liquidated its holdings of enCore common stock for net cash proceeds of $3.6 million.

Management believes the Company’s current cash balance is sufficient to fund its planned non-discretionary expenditures through 2022. The Company anticipates the continued use of the Cantor and Lincoln Park financing facilities to support construction of the commercial graphite processing facility. While the Company has been successful in the past in raising funds through equity and debt financings as well as through the sale of non-core assets, no assurance can be given that additional financing will be available in amounts sufficient to meet its needs, or on terms acceptable to the Company. Stock price volatility and uncertain economic conditions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent emergence of variant strains of the virus could significantly impact the Company’s ability to raise funds through equity financing. Market conditions, including but not limited to, inflation, labor shortages and supply chain disruptions could adversely impact the planned cost of the Company’s commercial graphite processing facility. Along with evaluating the continued use of the Cantor and Lincoln Park financing facilities, the Company may consider project financing to fund the construction of the commercial graphite processing facility. In the event funds are not available for project financing to complete construction of the commercial graphite processing facility in 2023, the Company expects to be able to fund its non-discretionary expenditures, however, the Company may be required to change its planned business development strategies.